Commercial sunbeds should be banned in the UK, say experts

Commercial sunbeds should be banned in the UK, argue experts in The BMJ today.

Using sunbeds causes melanoma and other skin cancers, particularly among young people, yet existing sunbed legislation is ineffective and there is little evidence that stricter rules would help protect the most vulnerable, say Professor Paul Lorigan and colleagues.

Indoor tanning is experiencing a boom in popularity, particularly among Gen Z (born 1997-2012), with social media promoting sunbeds as integral to wellness, they explain. For example, a 2024 survey of 2,003 people in the UK by Melanoma Focus found that 43% of respondents aged 18–25 used sunbeds, half of them at least weekly, with many unaware of the associated dangers.

Despite a ban on under-18s using sunbeds in England and Wales in 2011, a 2025 survey by Melanoma Focus of 100 UK 16–17 year olds found that 34% were still using sunbeds.

Neither the number nor location of sunbed outlets in the UK are monitored, point out the authors. Data from websites and social media in January 2024 identified 4,231 sunbed outlets in England and 232 in Wales, with a density per 100,000 population highest in northwest and northeast England and in the most deprived areas.

The distribution of sunbed outlets also correlates with melanoma rates in young people, with the highest rates in northern England, they add. Over 2,600 new diagnoses were recorded annually in 25–49-year-olds in England during 2018-20, with two-thirds of cases in women, and 146 deaths.

Regulation has also failed to prevent young people’s use of sunbeds in other countries, they note. For example, the percentage of under-18s using sunbeds in the Republic of Ireland has barely changed since stricter regulation in 2014, while Iceland’s 15–17-year-olds are now the main users of sunbeds despite a ban for under 18s from 2011.

The current situation in the UK is “a clear example of an under-regulated industry aggressively marketing a harmful product to a vulnerable population,” they write. “An immediate outright ban on commercial sunbeds alongside public education offers the most cost effective solution to reduce skin cancer, save lives, and ease the burden on the NHS.”

To counter the economic impact of banning sunbeds on providers and communities, they suggest use of a buy-back scheme “to mitigate industry pushback and the potential effect on livelihoods.”

They conclude, “The UK government has pledged to prioritize prevention and to reduce health inequalities. Commercial sunbeds target those who are most disadvantaged and susceptible to harm.

“Enhanced efforts to encourage sun-safe behaviors are critically needed but will likely take a generation to have an effect. A ban on commercial sunbeds is the first step in this process. It would send a clear message and have an immediate effect on skin cancer.”